TRUST THIS WORD REPRESENTS, AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS, THE FAITH WE PUT IN OTHERS TO PROVIDE FOR US THAT INFORMATION TO HELP SERVE OUR NEEDS.
IN CONSTRUCTION, SO OFTEN THOSE OF US WHO BUILD, TRUST THE ONES WHO TAUGHT US HOW TO BUILD AS BEING THE RIGHT AND PROPER WAY TO BUILD. MANY OF US HOLD FAST TO THESE CONCEPTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE SERVED US WELL THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY, LIFE STYLES, AWARENESSES ABOUT OUR PLANET AND THE AVAILABILITY OF NEW MATERIALS MAY BE DAUNTING FOR THOSE OF US WHO TEND TO BE TOO TIRED AT THE END OF THE DAY TO WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING NEW OR LEARN ANYTHING NEW. ESPECIALLY SINCE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING STILL SEEMS TO WORK.
OUR COLLECTIVE DEPENDENCY ON ENERGY HAS BEEN BUILDING EVEN FASTER THAN OUR POPULATION. EVEN THOUGH THE BASIC BUILDING CONCEPTS STILL SEEM TO WORK, THERE ARE NEW CONCEPTS WHICH, USED IN HARMONY WITH THE BASIC STANDARD BUILDING TECHNIQUES WE ARE SO FAMILIAR WITH, CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE ENERGY WE CONSUME.
LAST YEAR A FRIEND OF MINE WAS BUILDING A LARGE HOUSE IN HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, NJ, JUST UNDER SIX THOUSAND SQUARE FEET, AND HE TRUSTED ME ENOUGH TO MAKE ABOUT A TEN THOUSAND DOLLAR COMMITMENT TO INSULATE THIS HOUSE WITH SOMETHING HE HAD NEVER USED BEFORE AND WASN’ T FAMILIAR WITH. THE MATERIAL IS LOW E INSULATION. WWW.LOW-E-NE.COM WHILE THIS MATERIAL WAS BEING INSTALLED, A PLUMBER CAME BY AND ASKED JUST HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD THIS SAVE HIM ON HIS ENERGY BILL. I SAID SOMEWHERE AROUND SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT AND HE REPLIED “YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!” “IF THIS STUFF IS GOING TO SAVE HIM THAT MUCH MONEY, THE BUILDING CODE WOULD MAKE IT MANDATORY FOR ALL CONSTRUCTION.
WELL, IT’S A YEAR LATER AND THE HOUSE IS FINISHED AND THE FIRST FOUR ENERGY BILLS HAVE ARRIVED SINCE THE HOUSE HAS BEEN OCCUPIED. THE MONTHS OF MAY, JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST HAVE AVERAGED 150.00, AND THE TEMPERATURE HAS BEEN SET AT SEVENTY-TWO DEGREES FOR A FIFTY SEVEN HUNDRED SQUARE FOOT HOUSE. THE BUILDER CLAIMS THAT IT WILL TAKE NOT MUCH MORE THAN A YEAR IN MONEY SAVED TO PAY FOR THE INSULATION.
THE CODES STILL HAVEN’T CHANGED AND PROBABLY WON’T FOR A WHILE YET FOR MANY REASONS.THE OIL AND ELECTRIC COMPANIES DON’T WANT US TO USE LESS ENERGY. IT WOULD NOT SERVE THEIR INTRESTS. WE CAN HOWEVER, BEGIN TO PROVIDE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AN ALTERNATIVE THAT CAN, IN THE LONG RUN, SAVE THEM A GREAT DEAL OF ENERGY EXPENSE.
MY SINCERE APPRECIATION TO MY FRIEND KEN MATHER THE BUILDER AND DAVE McCANN FROM HEATH LUMBER IN TRENTON , NJ FOR THEIR TRUST IN ME AND THEIR OPEN MINDEDNESS TO SEE WHAT ISN’T YET “INSIDE THE BOX."